:Title:    Crisis in Sudan - September 2007 
:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:16:48 PDT
:URL:      http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/2/

This thread is a continuation of discussions on Darfur and Sudan that stared within o/net. Click here for the `July and August`_ discussion archive

Esther, Gabriel, and Jim if you would like anything to read different please let me know and I can change it.  If you would like to keep this discussion in the <Ned> Front Porch group for October, that would work...or you could start a Crisis in Sudan or Stop Genocide Now group...any of those options would work and you've always had enough participants to support a group.  In some ways, I'd say go month to month in the Front Porch for now because more people will see it here (but your choice of course).  And your continuing thread has been one of the most action focused in all of o.net.  Keep up the great work.

.. _`July and August` : http://www.omidyar.net/group/sudancrisis/news/77/

EDUCATE
-------

  * `ENOUGH Campaign`_ has monthly reports and policy papers 
  * `ICG`_, `HRW`_, and `Amnesty`_ also have great reports 
  * `USHMM Speaker's Directory`_ (in cooperation with the `Genocide Intervention Network`_).  
  * `USHMM blog on Genocide Prevention`_ weekly podcast updates, recently featuring Bec Hamilton of GI-Net, John Prendergast of ICG, Lee Feinstien and many others). 
  * `Genocide Olympics`_ and `Where Will We Be`_ Two campaigns to highlight China's complicity in the Darfur genocide 

**China's complicity in Khartoum's crimes in Darfur**  http://www.omidyar.net/group/sudancrisis/news/71/


ADVOCATE
--------

  * `1-800-GENOCIDE`_ (1-800-436-6243): Call the anti-genocide hotline and get the most up-to-date talking points before getting connected (for free) to your legislator at the state and federal level.
  
  * `Targeted Divestment`_: Ensure you're not funding genocide from your state pension plan to your mutual fund.

     * `Fidelity Out of Sudan`_: One of the most active campaigns targeting a specific corporation.
  
  * `Darfur Scores`_: Find out how your Congressional leader responds to stopping genocide as well as how the White House is doing in enforcing the law.


MOBILIZE
--------

**Ask The Candidates** http://www.AskTheCandidates.org

**Stop Genocide Now 2007** http://www.omidyar.net/group/sudancrisis/news/70/
 i-ACT, Camp Darfur, From America with Love . . . On this thread, we will work on everything Stop Genocide Now, which is about connecting with others around the country and world that care about Darfur and about stopping genocide. http://stopgenocidenow.org/

**ENOUGH! The project to abolish genocide and mass atrocities** 
 an initiative of the Center for American Progress and the International Crisis Group (launched January 30, 2007).  See http://www.americanprogress.org/experts/SharmaAnita.html Hear Anita Sharma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbrq-6JplkA *Website available soon* http://www.enoughproject.org/


.. HYPERLINKS

.. _`Global Days For Darfur` : http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/
.. _`Sprint for Darfur` : http://www.sprintfordarfur.org/
.. _`HRW` : http://www.hrw.org/
.. _`Amnesty` : http://www.amnesty.org/
.. _`Enough Campaign` : http://www.enoughproject.org/
.. _`Targeted Divestment` : http://www.sudandivestment.org/
.. _`1-800-GENOCIDE` : http://www.1800genocide.com/
.. _`Darfur Scores` : http://www.darfurscores.org/
.. _`ICG` : http://www.crisisgroup.org/
.. _`Susan Megy`: http://www.omidyar.net/user/u471101145/
.. _`USHMM Speaker's Directory` : http://online.ushmm.org/speakers/genocide_prevention/
.. _`Stop Genocide Now 2007` : http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/
.. _`Genocide Intervention Network` : http://www.genocideintervention.net/
.. _`Susan Megy`: http://www.omidyar.net/user/u471101145/
.. _`Genocide Olympics` : http://www.sudanreeves.org/Page-10.html
.. _`Where Will We Be` : http://wherewillwebe.org/
.. _`USHMM blog on Genocide Prevention` : http://blogs.ushmm.org/index.php/COC2
.. _`Fidelity Out of Sudan` : http://fidelityoutofsudan.net/
.. _`Africa Action` : http://www.AfricaAction.org



----

**Comments**

:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:09:13 PDT

And, if they haven't already done so, members can sign the online petition at `Save Darfur`_ and also pick up on current campaigns and links from the same site.


.. _`Save Darfur`: http://www.savedarfur.org/content

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:Author:   chris macrae
:Date:     Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:06:19 PDT

would it be possible to include at the top of this thread any members of ned who have actually been to Darfur or who fund someone on the ground there?

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:Author:   Jim Fussell
:Date:     Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:45:38 PDT

Mark,  Thanks for setting up September!   It's good to see folks here on NED.  Jim

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:Author:   Niny Khor
:Date:     Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:54:20 PDT

Cool!!

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:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:40:07 PDT

Thanks Mark!

September will be a month with a lot of action.  We have to keep being creative and be ready to step up the action.  We cannot be satisfied with slow, linear, progress.

With the transition from O.net, let's use this as a reason to find new energy.

I'm looking forward to working next to all of you.  I wish it was as a part of a happier issue, but I'm proud to have you as friends.

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:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:49:08 PDT

John, great idea.

Chris, I invited Mamer from o/net who is Sudanese.  Not sure who else has been there, though Gabriel has been to bordering Chad three times now.

Jim, glad you are here...and you bet.  Let's keep this issue in focus in the Front Porch Group and really keep people on task with actions.

Niny, very nice to see you here.

Gabriel, let's get some more actions rolling in September.  New energy on the Front Porch where everyone is watching.

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:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:13:31 PDT

Gabriel, Jim,, Esther - It's looking like the USHMM is going to be carrying my Tzedaka Village charity box kits in their gift shop soon. I also just got the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC and will be working on others...

In addition to having the product in museum shops, I'd also love to do some hands-on family/kids workshops making tzedaka/charity boxes - and maybe even Peace Tiles - as part of Darfur action/awareness program for children at the museums.

Any thoughts? Are you in a position to put me in touch with a good contact at the USHMM? Or perhaps the hands-on creative workshop is something to add to some existing programming in the works? 

My vision also includes getting some corporate underwriting for the workshops as well...ideas welcome...



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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:01:25 PDT
:Modified: Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:01:55 PDT

It's nice to have found our new home...

Michele,  You might contact Jerry Fowler.  I think he is still associated with the Museum.  jfowler at ushmm.org  I was just in DC and when I'm there, I always try and go by the Darfur exhibit.  The night before I was at an event that was attended by the Ambassador of Sudan to the US.  His family suffered tremendously at the hands of people from Darfur who were used by the government during the North/South war, and it made me so sad to see how his personal history is shaping (to a small degree) world history.

We'll need to point Ashis in this direction as he worked with the Darfur refugees for a year and probably has some good ideas for people/orgs to support.

September action -- the biggest is Global Day for Darfur.  24 Hours for Darfur is doing something in New York.  We are doing something smaller in San Francisco.  Gabriel - are you joining us in SF?  Anything going on in LA?

http://globefordarfur.org
http://darfursf.org
http://www.24hoursfordarfur.org/main.php

At the end of September is the STAND National conference in DC.

The Darfur Interfaith Network is still showing up at the Sudanese Embassy every Wednesday from 12-1pm.  They said they could use a "shot in the arm" so perhaps we can think creatively as to how we can support their efforts.

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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sat, 01 Sep 2007 13:21:29 PDT

Can Europe and China 'Save' Darfur? 

allAfrica.com

GUEST COLUMN
31 August 2007 
Posted to the web 31 August 2007 

By John Prendergast

After all the U.S. government's rhetoric about Darfur's genocide, and all its finger-wagging over the inaction of other nations, it is an instructive irony that the forces finally emerging to actually address Darfur's ills are on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific. Indeed, the governments that seem mostly likely to walk the walk are in France, the UK, and - surprise - China. 

Three years ago, the U.S. Congress harangued President Bush about not calling the Darfur crisis "genocide" until he finally did so. His administration then spent the next few years using the term repeatedly, bird-dogging other nations about their lack of action, issuing vague statements about the use of force for which the Pentagon has not done serious planning, strong-arming one of the rebel groups to sign a peace deal that made matters worse on the ground, imposing unilateral sanctions that had no impact on the culprits, and sending millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to substitute for effective political action. 
 
During this timeframe, the U.S. could be forgiven for being disappointed in China and Europe. Beijing ran interference for the Khartoum regime in the UN Security Council while pumping Sudanese oil and selling arms to the government. France and the UK provided no direction to the European Union and sat on the sidelines, despite a reservoir of leverage in Paris from its relationship with Chad, and high octane speeches from former Prime Minister Blair about no-fly zones. 

However, in one of those kairos moments, everything is suddenly changing. China has come under intense pressure from activists for its support for the Sudanese regime, which it wants to shake off so it can host a controversy-free 2008 Olympics. France elected a president who wants to work with the U.S. on Darfur. Britain's new prime minister plans to go with the new French president to Darfur to move the peace process forward. All three countries played constructive roles in getting the UN Security Council to pass a resolution a few weeks ago authorizing a force of over 20,000 troops to help stabilize Darfur. 

This is the diplomatic and political equivalent of low-hanging fruit for President Bush, as he considers how to begin shaping his legacy. If his administration can set aside all its posturing, roll up its sleeves, send a diplomatic team to the region, and start working multilaterally, a real success story could be written. 

And for the first time on an African issue, resolving the crisis in Darfur would have positive domestic political ramifications. Over the past few years, a movement has grown among politically active Americans to confront genocide in Darfur. In churches, synagogues, town halls, and university classrooms all over the U.S., citizens are telling their elected officials that it is unacceptable to stand idly by while genocide unfolds.   More than a million Americans have asked to be on the Save Darfur Coalition's email action list. The book I wrote with "actorvist" Don Cheadle rocketed to number 6 on the NY Times Bestseller List, and at every stop of our book tour we spoke to thousands of people hungry to learn what they could do to get our politicians to act. The highest rated show on television last week was a "60 Minutes" episode on Darfur. Until there is a political cost for inaction in the face of genocide, author Samantha Power has written, we will get inaction. 

What is needed isn't exactly rocket science. I've been working in Africa's crisis zones for 25 years, and contrary to popular perceptions, the continent is ripe with success stories about countries that have been ripped apart by civil war, but have been able to resolve their issues and move on. Mozambique, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, and others can attest to the formula: a serious peace process combined with the deployment of relevant force works. 

A quartet of President Hu, President Sarkozy, Prime Minister Brown, and President Bush should pursue a peace and protection initiative that would prioritize a peace deal between the regime and rebel groups, and enforce the rapid deployment of the Security Council's authorized multinational forces to Darfur and eastern Chad. They should be prepared to back targeted sanctions in the UN Security Council (President Putin, you are welcome to join in) against anyone - government or rebel - who tries to obstruct these objectives.   Not only would Darfur be "saved," but transatlantic and transpacific cooperation would also be enhanced at a time when such multilateralism is desperately needed. 

President Bush, your legacy is calling. Will you answer? 

John Prendergast co-chairs the ENOUGH Project (www.enoughproject.org) and is co-author with Don Cheadle of Not on Our Watch. 

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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:43:36 PDT

As noted by Mohamed E. Suleiman (Darfuri) and Martina Knee (SFBADC), evidence suggests that the GOS knows its time is running out and will do whatever it needs to do in order to eliminate the people of Darfur.  The only way to stop them (while the UN amasses troops, etc.) is to cut off their supply of funding (which supports their military efforts) through multilateral sanctions.  This must be done in a way (such as setting up a trust fund) so that funding is not cut off from the Government of Southern Sudan, which in my opinion, is the only hope for a new democratic Sudan.

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:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:53:09 PDT

Good to see everyone here and ready to continue working.  As I read today's NYTimes article about the Arab on Arab violence erupting in Darfur I realize there is so much to do.  

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:Author:   Pam O
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:21:13 PDT

Hi everyone. It is both comforting and odd to see this format!

Thank you for contuning the discusions and the actions.

Not sure if you saw this piece by Alex van der Waal and Julie Flint:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/27/AR2007082701339.html

I agree with it, although it feels like it should have been said last year and now our efforts are too little too late and not geared towards preventing the inevitable repeat that is part of Sudan's history. It also goes to the importance of R2P and what happens when we fail to act early.

Thoughts?

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:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:52:15 PDT

......And talking of harsh realities, maybe the *Washington Post* article should be read alongside this `Africa-Reuters`_ report on the militarisation of the camps in Darfur.

When these crises are allowed to run and run and fester over years, resentment simmers and surely it can be no surprise when resistance grows. 

Are echoes from the early days of the Palestinian diaspora salutory reminders ?  Today there are 'celebrations' in Lebanon because the government has seized control of a Palestinian 'refugee camp'.

The longer these things are left, the more complicated they become. 




.. _`Africa-Reuters`: 
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN033278.html



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:Author:   Pam O
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:56:35 PDT

Agreed John. 

The comments in here by the UN SG about justice and accountability are important:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070903/wl_nm/sudan_darfur_un_dc_8;_ylt=AmWC2uQKQhRXGWVZJssxEl8E1vAI


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:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:23:21 PDT

Pam, I agree that Ban Ki-moon's trip is important and should be welcomed and I take your point about justice and accountability - but I also wonder where the *teeth* are in his reported statement that the world was changing its role as a "seemingly helpless witness" to the conflict and was serving notice that Khartoum's human rights record was under scrutiny.



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:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:31:37 PDT

Esther Sprague said:

    As noted by Mohamed E. Suleiman (Darfuri) and Martina Knee (SFBADC), evidence suggests that the GOS knows its time is running out and will do whatever it needs to do in order to eliminate the people of Darfur.  The only way to stop them (while the UN amasses troops, etc.) is to cut off their supply of funding (which supports their military efforts) through multilateral sanctions.  This must be done in a way (such as setting up a trust fund) so that funding is not cut off from the Government of Southern Sudan, which in my opinion, is the only hope for a new democratic Sudan.

WE know that this is true, that the urgency and danger is as grave as ever, but the feeling "out there" that I perceive from people is that there is less urgency because of reports of UN resolutions, troops getting ready to go in, and lower mortality rate.

There aren't many more villages to destroy in Darfur, although we still hear of attacks led by GoS air bombings. The picture is getting murkier, so we have to be better at presenting the story in a way that people feel compelled to engage.  

I like that article by Prendergast mentioned above.  It is a relatively simple, doable, outline of action for Bush.  

I agree with you, Esther, we have to look at a solution for the whole of Sudan, and the South offers an "in" to peace.  In the LA Times this week there was an article on the front page about the "next Darfur"--the Nubian genocide.

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:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:16:41 PDT

Gabriel, I'm not convinced that it's very helpful to jump from  talking about 'Genocide in Darfur' to the 'Nubian Genocide'.

Isn't this starting to spread the term 'genocide' so thinly that it loses all of its original portentous meaning ? 

That said, I do think your point (your question) about how to engage people - given the changing reality on the ground - is the key to maintaining momentum and keeping up the political pressure.

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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:33:18 PDT

Although it is dangerous to use the word genocide too often it is important to recognize that this is the GOS's strategy for retaining power and wealth in Sudan...use ethnicity, religion, etc. to divide and conquer.  

Gabriel is right -- they are planning to wipe out the Nubian culture with dams that benefit Egypt and the GOS.

We should not shy away from using the term if it fits -- and for the GOS it fits over and over and over.  So rather than addressing 10 different genocides, let's help Sudan get ready for an election in 2009 that will remove such a destructive government from power.

Seems almost impossible...but worth giving everything we've got to empower the Sudanese to make it happen.

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:Author:   Peter Burgess
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:58:08 PDT

Dear Colleagues

I am new to NED ... but not new to problems like the situation in Darfur.

I would like to see something that tells me a lot more about the history of the problem eliminating the many gross simplifications that are used to compress complexity into 30 second sound bites. I rarely see, for example, discussion about the conflict between pastoral society and settled society which, I would argue, is perhaps an element of the root cause of the crisis. I would also like to see, for example, more clarity about wealth creation and wealth accumulation in Sudan (as well as in other societies around the globe) which serves, in my view, to drive critical decisions about security and lack of security. 

Sincerely, Peter Burgess

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:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:24:39 PDT

Hey Peter,

The Enough Project has great information:

http://www.enoughproject.org/region/darfur/overview.php

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:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:47:56 PDT

John Firth said:

    Gabriel, I'm not convinced that it's very helpful to jump from  talking about 'Genocide in Darfur' to the 'Nubian Genocide'.
    
    Isn't this starting to spread the term 'genocide' so thinly that it loses all of its original portentous meaning ? 
    
    That said, I do think your point (your question) about how to engage people - given the changing reality on the ground - is the key to maintaining momentum and keeping up the political pressure.

Hey John:

I really agree that the word genocide should not be used lightly.  

As Esther said, with the Government of Sudan, signs have to be taken seriously, given their history.  I'm sure that the LA Times used "fears of another Darfur" on their headline because of the seriousness of the situation.  

For prevention, I believe that we have to start seeing the signs way before it is a full blown genocide.  

On the other hand, the Bush administration, for the first time in history, called a crisis a genocide, but then failed to follow up with the appropriate action, given the responsibility that is implied with that.  

So, I see your point and agree at one level (and on that post I was referring more to the potential implied in the LA Times article--but I was not clear with that), but I also see the need, especially between us here, to find a better, faster way to respond to clear signs for a potential genocide, before it happens.

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:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:36:51 PDT

Gabriel, I can't and don't disagree with that!  :)

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:Author:   Moses Kariuki
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 03:53:09 PDT

This is Great having this thread here.What is happening in Darfur is Genocide and that term should be used over and over again.
Its great that the Secretary General Bhan Kin Moon is Visiting Sudan to see the best way forward for Darfur.Although i am supporting the deployment of Robust UN peace keepers in Darfur i still feel that their presence will not lead to the end of the Genocide.I remember one time the Secretary General saying that the problems in Darfur including the war are Climatic.This was clear that he was feeling that there was need to do more than just sending the UNforces to Darfur.
I have been to Southern Sudan in a "town" called Nasir and the Robust UNMIS is there.Well they have all the resources that are necessary while going for war.Their presense have not stopped most of the Inter clan wars that have been going on from time to time.Its like they are there to make observations.In their mandate they have stated that they protect civilians  under imminent threat of physical violence.Imminent is very relative.I do not know what their presence has detered or has made to happen.To me the UN peacekeepers will not mean the end of Genocide but the removal of Bashir Administration will lead to the end.
Bashir administration is capable of doing every evil as long as its in power.Well its better to have a force endowed with resources but its presence at most can only mitigate the effects of the Genocide.Removing the Bashir Administration is the Key.
This made me read the UNMIS Mandate which i have copied below.  
              
**UNMIS MANDATE**

Having determined that the situation in Sudan continued to constitute a threat to international peace and security, the Security Council, by its resolution 1590 of 24 March 2005, decided to establish the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS). It also decided that the mandate of UNMIS would be the following: 

(a)  to support implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement by performing the following tasks: 

(i) to monitor and verify the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement and to investigate violations;

(ii) to liaise with bilateral donors on the formation of Joint Integrated Units; 

(iii) to observe and monitor movement of armed groups and redeployment of forces in the areas of UNMIS deployment in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement; 

(iv) to assist in the establishment of the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration program as called for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, with particular attention to the special needs of women and child combatants, and its implementation through voluntary disarmament and weapons collection and destruction; 

(v) to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in promoting understanding of the peace process and the role of UNMIS by means of an effective public information campaign, targeted at all sectors of society, in coordination with the African Union; 

(vi) to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in addressing the need for a national inclusive approach, including the role of women, towards reconciliation and peace-building; 

(vii) to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, in coordination with bilateral and multilateral assistance programs, in restructuring the police service in Sudan, consistent with democratic policing, to develop a police training and evaluation program, and to otherwise assist in the training of police; 

(viii) to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in promoting the rule of law, including an independent judiciary, and the protection of human rights of all people of Sudan through a comprehensive and coordinated strategy with the aim of combating impunity and contributing to long-term peace and stability and to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to develop and consolidate the national legal framework; 

(ix) to ensure an adequate human rights presence, capacity, and expertise within UNMIS to carry out human rights promotion, protection, and monitoring activities;

(x) to provide guidance and technical assistance to the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, in cooperation with other international actors, to support the preparations for and conduct of elections and referenda provided for by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement; 

(b) to facilitate and coordinate, within its capabilities and in its areas of deployment, the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and humanitarian assistance, inter alia, by helping to establish the necessary security conditions; 

(c) to assist the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, in cooperation with other international partners in the mine action sector, by providing humanitarian demining assistance, technical advice, and coordination; 

(d) to contribute towards international efforts to protect and promote human rights in Sudan , as well as to co-ordinate international efforts towards the protection of civilians , with particular attention to vulnerable groups including internally displaced persons, returning refugees, and women and children, within UNMIS's capabilities and in close cooperation with other United Nations agencies, related organizations, and non-governmental organizations. 

Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council also: 
(i) decided that UNMIS is authorized to take the necessary action, in the areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to protect UN personnel, facilities, installations, and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers, joint assessment mechanism and assessment and evaluation commission personnel, and, without prejudice to the responsibility of the Government of the Sudan, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence; and 

(ii) requested that the Secretary-General and the Government of the Sudan, following appropriate consultation with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, conclude a status-of-forces agreement within 30 days of adoption of the resolution, taking into consideration General Assembly resolution 58/82 on the scope of legal protection under the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, and notes that pending the conclusion of such an agreement, the model status-of-forces agreement dated 9 October 1990 (A/45/594), shall apply provisionally.


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:Author:   Luke Martin
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 10:16:04 PDT

re: the van der Wall and Flint article that Pam mentioned -- it might feel a little late, but that would be to those of us who have *some* idea of what's going on. In lunch conversations with friends, I still hear mainly ignorance. Nonetheless, the final paragraph should be poignant for both those in the know and those who know little:

 For them, it is true. For the people of Darfur, the story is more complicated. So, if you are dispatched to Darfur as a peacekeeper, best to wise up quickly. Leave that fortified camp, step out of that armored car and ask the Darfurian people: "Just what the hell is going on here?"

And a question to everyone. I was talking with my father the other day and he asked whether I'd heard of the book that talks about the U.S.'s main deterrent from participating more fully in Darfur -- China's economic threat. He didn't know the name. Any ideas?

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:Author:   Linda Nowakowski
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:41:19 PDT

There are a couple of good possibilities_ on that Luke.

.. _possibilities : http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-5594160-6772110?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=china+darfur&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

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:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:47:48 PDT

Those look interesting, Linda.

Also Luke, in the recent Vanity Fair about Africa (the one guest-edited by Bono) there's a very good article focusing on Chad.  It talks a lot about China, it's influence in Sudan/Darfur/Chad, and how it is expanding in to all of Africa.

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:Author:   Luke Martin
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:25:55 PDT

Linda Nowakowski said:

    There are a couple of good possibilities_ on that Luke.
    
    .. _possibilities : http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-5594160-6772110?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=china+darfur&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go


Thanks, Linda -- good sleuthing. I actually talked to my father earlier and he had remembered the name of the book: it's `Navarro's`_.

 .. _`Navarro's` : http://www.amazon.com/Coming-China-Wars-Where-Fought/dp/0132281287/ref=sr_1_4/105-9258323-4732430?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188969704&sr=1-4


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:Author:   Luke Martin
:Date:     Tue, 04 Sep 2007 22:37:20 PDT

And thanks, Gabe. I didn't pick up the issue but was hoping the article was online. Alas, it's not in the online version, but seeing the `TOC`_ makes me want to dig around at the library for a copy.  

 .. _`TOC` : http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/toc/2007/toc200707_.

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:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:25:11 PDT

Luke - I have the issue; still a few more articles i'd like to read but I'd be happy to copy any that you'd like.

Esther - thank you so much for the info. Will keep you posted...



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:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:01:43 PDT

Hi all - I can't believe we still need a thread with this title ..... but we do so it's great that it has a new home at ned.com. (thanks Mark for starting it up). 

One possibly border-line OT question. 

Because I knew Mark had started this thread (was in ned around the time he did it) I had pointed half a dozen people in this direction via email. I got 2 emails back saying they couldn't find it .... ???? I've only just now realised that it's not visible if you aren't a logged in member. Is there a reason for that???? (forgive me please if I'm being super dim and the answer is obvious)
I would have thought if someone googled "genocide" or "darfur" you'd want it to come up somewhere in the first few pages of results .... so anyone wanting to connect with other activists (particularly in the USA) could see it. 

Right ....... awaiting someone pointing out the "obvious" thing I've missed. (sorry in advance :)
   

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:Author:   Jim Carroll
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 06:28:24 PDT

Gayle Rogers said:

     I've only just now realised that it's not visible if you aren't a logged in member. Is there a reason for that???? 

I just changed it so that the front porch group is visible to those who aren't signed in.  Thanks for pointing that out!



----

:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 06:40:15 PDT

Jim Carroll said:

    Gayle Rogers said:
    
         I've only just now realised that it's not visible if you aren't a logged in member. Is there a reason for that???? 
    
    I just changed it so that the front porch group is visible to those who aren't signed in.  Thanks for pointing that out!

Just the messenger, Jim ... I had it pointed out to me :)

Cheers, Gayle




----

:Author:   Luke Martin
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:08:29 PDT

Michele Lifshen Reing said:

    Luke - I have the issue; still a few more articles i'd like to read but I'd be happy to copy any that you'd like.
    
Thanks for the offer Michele. Let me drop in at the library today at noon and see what I can find. Otherwise I'll bug you for some photocopying!


----

:Author:   John Firth
:Date:     Wed, 05 Sep 2007 10:52:05 PDT

Reference the 'China threat' just thought it worth mentioning that most of the books, articles etc. about the 'threat' seem to come out of the USA (something in the US psyche that needs an external threat?) whereas the opening up of China is broadly perceived in Europe as an 'opportunity' rather than a threat.

I suspect that the diplomatic body language that follows from these different starting points *might* be reflected in the differing weight of influences on China - and the Brown/Sarkozy initiative (following the change of leadership in both the UK and France) *might* also assist in the pressure on China in relation to Sudan.

We can but hope ! 

----

:Author:   Susan Megy
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:46:09 PDT

(apologies in advance for being a bit off topic...)

I'm sooooo very glad to find this discussion here! I've been offline **A LOT** these few weeks, getting settled in Ireland; moving, classes, battling university bureaucracy,and just adjusting to life in general, across the big pond.

I've just posted to all Sudan group members (at the request of Haney) and pointed them to this discussion - hope that's cool.

Looking fwd. to catching up on the discussion as soon as life settles a bit. 

----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:57:28 PDT

Glad to see you arrived in Ireland well, albeit sounds still pretty hectic.  Point all you want here, that is totally fine.  Hey, when you run into him please tell Paul O'Hara to get his rear here too.

----

:Author:   Tim Nonn
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:04:37 PDT

Hi everyone,

I've been traveling by train around the US this summer speaking to congregations and groups about Darfur. It's nice to be back home. We've started a new one-year project called "Tents of Hope" (www.tentsofhope.org). The website has the project guidelines now, although it will be a week before it's fully functional. The United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are backing the project, but it is open to all. It's a decentralized, community-based approach. We'd appreciate your input as we get going. Thanks, Tim. 





----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:26:50 PDT

Hey Susan and Tim, nice to see you here!

----

:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:12:27 PDT


Tim ... HI - busy summer, hey? Good for you :)

Hey Susan .... thanks for the group message; was already here but glad to see you are getting settled and finding your feet. 

Cheers, Gayle :)


----

:Author:   ashis brahma
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:07:19 PDT

Dare to care tour

Sept 12 NY
Sept 13 NY
Sept 14 NY
Sept 15 NY
Sept 16 NY (www.24hoursfordarfur.org)
Sept 17 NY
Sept 18 Chicago (presentation)
Sept 19 Chicago 
Sept 20 Jackson, Mississippi, 1 presentations
Sept 21 Jackson, Mississippi, Belhaven College + meeting
Sept 22 Jackson Mississippi
Sept 23 Jacksonville, Florida
Sept 24 Owensboro highschool (?) + church
Sept 25 Canton (Columbus)
Sept 26 Canton (tv show, free hugs, lecture?)
Sept 27 Louisville
Sept 28 Louisville
Sept 29 DC (STAND, national convention)
Sept 30 DC (STAND, national convention)
Octo 01 DC (STAND)
Octo 02 Carmel (Stevenson + United Nations Associates)
Octo 03 Carmel (Carmel highschool +
Octo 04 Carmel (tentative: psychologists)
Octo 05 San Fransisco UCSF Medical College
Octo 06 San Fransisco (Berkeley?)
Octo 07 San Fransisco
Octo 08 Redding (+ Gabriel Stauring)
Octo 09 Santa Barbara
Octo 10 LA
Octo 11 LA
Octo 12 LA
Octo 13 San Diego
Octo 14 San Diego
Octo 16 Mexico City lecture
Octo 17-19 sailing in Mexico
Octo 22 Amsterdam

I am pretty flexible at the end of the journey. Undecided if  I will go to Chad, Sudan or Ivory coast. If anybody wants to organize a meeting feel free to send an e-mail.

ashisbrahma@gmail.com

----

:Author:   ashis brahma
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:10:11 PDT

Happy to go where ever you point me Esther...

Esther Sprague said:

    It's nice to have found our new home...
    
    Michele,  You might contact Jerry Fowler.  I think he is still associated with the Museum.  jfowler at ushmm.org  I was just in DC and when I'm there, I always try and go by the Darfur exhibit.  The night before I was at an event that was attended by the Ambassador of Sudan to the US.  His family suffered tremendously at the hands of people from Darfur who were used by the government during the North/South war, and it made me so sad to see how his personal history is shaping (to a small degree) world history.
    
    We'll need to point Ashis in this direction as he worked with the Darfur refugees for a year and probably has some good ideas for people/orgs to support.
    
    September action -- the biggest is Global Day for Darfur.  24 Hours for Darfur is doing something in New York.  We are doing something smaller in San Francisco.  Gabriel - are you joining us in SF?  Anything going on in LA?
    
    http://globefordarfur.org
    http://darfursf.org
    http://www.24hoursfordarfur.org/main.php
    
    At the end of September is the STAND National conference in DC.
    
    The Darfur Interfaith Network is still showing up at the Sudanese Embassy every Wednesday from 12-1pm.  They said they could use a "shot in the arm" so perhaps we can think creatively as to how we can support their efforts.



----

:Author:   ashis brahma
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:30:02 PDT

Hello Peter,

Conflicts between pastoralists and agricultarists are not new in Eastern/Central Africa. What is new in these conflicts is the loss of the social fabric. Dia (blood money) in other words 50 camels for a female death and 100 for a male death prevented conflicts from escalating too much. However since the 1980's these mediations between groups have been frustrated from higher hand. Over the last 100 years it seems there is an ongoing process of desertification and lessening of intensity and duration of rainy seasons. There is overgrazing and there were never restrictions imposed on teh number of cattle in Darfur. Hostorically Darfur has always been neglected. The sufi mainstay of muslims in Darfur is being chased with Wahabist money.

Most important however is the rule of the present government for 19 years. Civil war has been fought in the north, south, east and west. The only areas to remain scot free have been the JAle areas, not surprising the ruling classes areas. Surprise, surprise where all the money goes. 

THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CRIMES. In a comparative scenario roughly 15% of the USA (6 million out of 40 million Sudanese) would be on the run and 2% killed (400000 out of 40 million). Let all people in Texas and California be chased to Alaska. Or picture Chicago and San Fransisco decimated.

Here we are and we talk...too long...

time for action.

whip these Sudanese brutes in jail (The Hague).
Freeze the accounts of the ruling one percent.
Assure oil money needs to be invested in health and education.
Work on peace process with strict deadlines and consequences
Move in International Troops under UN. (AU has made too little impact)
Stabalize Chad and CAR (influence on the region)
Talk to the Arabic nations to pull their weight
Involve India, Malaysia and China

bit most f all dare to care

talk, ponder and act
namaskar

ashis

Peter Burgess said:

    Dear Colleagues
    
    I am new to NED ... but not new to problems like the situation in Darfur.
    
    I would like to see something that tells me a lot more about the history of the problem eliminating the many gross simplifications that are used to compress complexity into 30 second sound bites. I rarely see, for example, discussion about the conflict between pastoral society and settled society which, I would argue, is perhaps an element of the root cause of the crisis. I would also like to see, for example, more clarity about wealth creation and wealth accumulation in Sudan (as well as in other societies around the globe) which serves, in my view, to drive critical decisions about security and lack of security. 
    
    Sincerely, Peter Burgess



----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:52:04 PDT

The latest from ENOUGH is really good!  It is so clear and helps us answer the "it's not so bad any more" and "it's crazy tribalism out there and nothing we can do" comments that have been out there so much lately.  I really cannot say enough about ENOUGH.  They give us at the grassroots very to the point direction and focus:

http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/darfurechoes_20070905.php

 "As the government's divide and destroy policy envisioned, there is indeed increased fighting between and among communities, including among Arab groups which previously had worked together to destroy non-Arab villages. But this masks the more intentional, better-resourced, and well-camouflaged strategy of the Sudanese regime, within which many of those leading the fighting on the ground today in Darfur are but pawns."

JP is always so right on. 



----

:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:31:06 PDT

Gabriel said:

 JP is always so right on.

Yep!!! The link below is the one I also posted to stopgenocidenow at razoo.

It's the opening address by John to the Hearing on Darfur a couple of months ago. And he nailed it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT5kk_l7HsI

cheers, Gayle :)




----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 07 Sep 2007 23:38:12 PDT

From John's article..."The promotion of anarchy and inter-communal (or, popularly, "inter-tribal") fighting is part and parcel of Khartoum’s genocidal counter-insurgency campaign." 

I think it was Joe Madison that said that genocide isn't just about destroying people but also about destroying the fabric of a society -- children are seeing their parents as powerless...unable to provide for their families.  Even though this "failure" is understandable, it is impossible to imagine (or measure) what this does to the psyche of a child...and therefore their children, grandchildren and so on.

Healthy child development is so important to my friends who have small children and if something like this were happening to one of them...well, it just wouldn't be tolerated, and yet these kids in Darfur have the same needs...and so I imagine that generations from now our world will still be experiencing the repercussions of this time in history.  I don't know how a group of people on our planet experience such trauma and it not somehow impact all of us directly -- perhaps not immediately but someday and somehow.  

----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:16:06 PDT

You are so right, Esther.  You really can't stop a genocide once it starts because the effects keep on going.  You have to stop it before it starts.

With my previous job, working with abused children and their families, we tried to build support around them.  It was about the child but also about the family and about the community.  Although children are very resilient, it is not easy to heal deep wounds.  I cannot imagine what it would take for Darfuri children and their suffering.

What has happened and is happening in Darfur does destroy "the fabric of society," at all different levels.  My good friend Paul Freedman often talks about that, about how, by allowing these atrocities, there is a tearing away of our humanity (but he says it a lot better).

When I have visited the camps, I just cannot stop thinking about my own children.

----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 05:36:20 PDT

>>When I have visited the camps, I just cannot stop thinking about my own children.<<

Somewhere in there is the key to help stopping genocide I think.  Getting people to fully empathize and take the situation deep into their heart and make them want to take action.

----

:Author:   Linda Nowakowski
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:21:15 PDT

Related to that thought:

Before I went to Uganda last spring, I had read everything I could get my hands on.  I "knew" about the family devastation of HIV/AIDS.  I "knew" about night commuters and child-soldiers. I "knew" that the water sources in Uganda were horrible. 

Then I got there.

I knew nothing.  I had it in my head but I didn't understand in my heart. (aside: Thais point to their heart when they talk about considering something or understanding something!)

On Thursday, the Business Ethics class in the BBA program watched the movie "Blood Diamonds" and since I hadn't seen it I went to watch it with them.  My time in Uganda so sensitized me to things that I was on the edge of being physically ill as I watched.  Tears were running down my face and I experienced something that I can't really describe. It was a combination of revulsion and fear maybe. Even looking at a movie.  If I was affected that way just because I talked to people who had first hand experience, what must the real affects be on the people who have lived through it?

How do we convey that?  Can it be conveyed with video interviews? Can it be done with written stories and still pictures?  Peoples' stories have power.  Real peoples' stories.

----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 12:45:53 PDT

Yes, from going around for three years with this, I would say that you both, Linda and Mark, got it right.  "Knowing" alone will not do it.  It has to be more of an experience. 

It's what we are attempting with our Stop Genocide Now projects.  With i-ACT and Camp Darfur we are really working at building relationships.  We're moving to make it a lot more interactive, so that it is not just passive watching on this side.

From our first three visits to the camps, our next step is i-ACT Forward, which will involve helping to bring secondary education to camps in Eastern Chad.  It will be a lot more than building some walls.  It will be bringing communities together.  Communities here in the US (and hopefully in other parts of the world) will help with the schools, but they will then get to meet the kids that will be benefiting from them; they will meet their families; and they'll learn about their hopes and dreams.  The refugees will also get to know the communities that are helping them.  It'll be a very interactive, mutually beneficial and educational, experience.  These will be relationships that last and that, hopefully soon, accompany the displaced back to a peaceful Darfur.  They tell us that education is what gives them hope for the future.  They want to rebuild a "stronger Darfur."

We're helping organize a concert on Sept 15 in Topanga, CA.  It will be a benefit for the i-ACT Forward schools.  We project that there'll be enough to cover the first school, building and running for one year.  We are working on the allowing regular interaction, and it should be coming soon.  We'll start working on the second school right away.

To see pictures of the real people, the faces behind the numbers, that we're trying to help, here's an album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sgn.org/FacesOnNumbers

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 17:48:27 PDT

Congratulations Gabriel - that is great!

Just heard from Shane...

"David and I just came out of Darfur on a horse and cart and are now in Chad, just across the border. We spent five weeks in Darfur with the SLA, with civilians in villages and in their fields, and with displaced people. It is getting a lot more difficult to move around with the rebel movement so factioned, but we managed to pull it off and get a lot of great footage. I think we are going to be able to give people an intimate look at a side of Darfur they have barely seen. 

Unfortunately, things aren’t getting any better there. The town we spent the most time in, Bir Maza, was attacked by the Janjaweed last November and several surrounding villages were bombed two months ago. More villages were bombed in other parts of Darfur while we were there.

Despite how difficult things have been, we really appreciated the beauty of the place. People welcomed us and took care of us, the rains have spread tall grasses across the otherwise sandy plains, and birds danced in the sky.

We are looking forward to start showing footage and photos when we get back. Do you guys know of some good venues that might set us up about 5-7 weeks from now, in San Francisco, Marin, or elsewhere? We are hoping to raise some money so we can get to work editing the film." 


----

:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:32:08 PDT

Gabriel - those pictures speak volumes; You have done an excellent job - the uniformity of the same head-shot is especially striking. I am wondering a couple of things...would images of other things be impactful as well - such as personal effects, food rations, dwelling spaces - other items that tell the story of despair and need. 

Like the suitcases of the concentration camp victims, or the eyeglasses piled up.

I'm interested in incorporating the portraits into some of my art - I am thinking about ways to spread the message. How do you feel about that, Gabriel? Please let me know your thoughts.

Another thought I had - and it may be too dangerous...but I am thinking about the mission model that the UJC uses - they lead philanthropy-minded people on mission trips to Israel, Ethiopia, Former Soviet Union and other places. It may be unsafe to lead civilian missions to Darfur and Chad, but if it could be done, I think it could be a successful way to increase awareness.

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:35:37 PDT

Unbelievable...

--

Meanwhile, human rights activists have criticised the nomination of an alleged war criminal to a [GOS] committee to investigate human rights abuses in Darfur. 

Ahmed Haroun was the minister responsible for Darfur in 2003 and 2004. 
  
In April, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest, accusing him of directing the Arab militias who attacked black African civilians. 

"Coming during Ban Ki-moon's visit to Sudan, Haroun's nomination is a stunning affront," said Richard Dicker, from Human Rights Watch. 

"It is an insult to the Darfur victims who filed complaints with the vain hope that the government would take them seriously." 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6981929.stm

--

Additional info about Haroun, Sudan's Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Haroun

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sun, 09 Sep 2007 12:36:47 PDT

Thought these were good...from the 2005 Clinton Global Initiative Conference - what leaders worry about for the US.

Bill Clinton:

"Over the long run, you should worry about building a world that's coming together instead of coming apart—and that starts with America," he says. "We need to become citizens of the world in a positive way. We should all say, 'Okay, we're going to support good things for our country. But whatever I can afford, I'm going to help somebody halfway around the world. Just like I did in the tsunami, and just like they did for us in Katrina.' We need to behave that way all the time. We have to understand we're all bound up together. We're going up or down together whether we like it or not, so it might as well be up."

Hillary Clinton:

"Right now the greatest threat to world peace is intolerance cloaked in religion," Senator Clinton says. "It's people who believe that their religious views are the only right ones, and therefore, any means that is available to them—including flying planes into towers or planting bombs in subways—that somehow they are permitted to do that because they're acting in the name of a religion. That gives them the justification to wreak havoc and violence." 

Fareed Zakaria:

"If we can get more engaged with the world, it will have one set of outcomes for the world," he says. "But if we don't, and we find the only way we know how to engage with the world is through our military, it's going to have a very different set of outcomes for the world. If you don't get informed, your job is going to be affected by trends that you don't understand. Your job is going to be affected by forces you don't understand. Your children's future is going to be affected by forces that you don't understand." 

Jeffrey Sachs:

"We're just in direct conflict with some other part of the world, whether it's religious divide or ethnic divide or geographical divide or the divide of rich and poor," he says. "It's the fear that conflict is inevitable. That's actually the biggest risk we face, because violence and conflict with others can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe it's going to happen, they'll believe it's going to happen, everybody gets absolutely into hostilities and, sure enough, what everybody feared does happen." 

Queen Rania:

"I find that there is one overarching problem that's fundamental and that's common to all of the issues that we're facing today—that is the 'hope gap,'" Queen Rania says. "The gap between people who feel that if they work hard, they have a chance of bettering their lives, and those who actually feel that they are just condemned to a life of needlessness and hopelessness. A person who's hurting halfway around the globe, his pain is eventually going to affect me." 

"I think it makes these people who feel that way more vulnerable to extremist views. They're easy to influence because they feel that they have nothing to live for and, therefore, nothing to lose. It's not enough to just tell people that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not enough just to show them the life. We have to help them find their way towards that light, and I feel that education is a very powerful enabling tool to reach that." 

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200601/20060123/slide_20060123_350_201.jhtml

----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:14:21 PDT

Thanks, Michelle.  Yes, you may incorporate any of the pictures into your art.

It would be good if people experienced what is happening in Darfur/Chad.  The complete lack of stability makes it difficult right now, though, and it's not very doable to have large groups visit.  But some of it is being done, and that experience can be shared, which might not have the same power, but it does have potential to reach many.

----

:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:58:37 PDT

Esther, thank you for those incredible quotes. I appreciate all that you do, all that you share and the great resource that you are.

Gabriel - I am grateful for the opportunity to use the photos. Mind is percolating... 

----

:Author:   Jim Fussell
:Date:     Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:03:48 PDT

Yes,  thank you Esther and Gabriel for all you do.  

Michele, I look forward to reading your thoughts as they develop. 

All the best,  Jim

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:59:00 PDT

Michele and Jim - thank you! :)

This was just sent to me - I guess there are still seats available.

GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE

http://efchr.mcgill.ca

October 11th – 13th, 2007

Montreal, Quebec

The McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism is privileged to host the inaugural Echenberg Family Conference on Human Rights, the first major international conference of its kind on the prevention of genocide. Bringing together genocide survivors and front-line activists with prominent intellectual, political and civil society leaders from around the world, this groundbreaking event will shape public debate and policy on humanity's most horrific invention. 

PROMINENT SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

- Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire

- Michael Ignatieff, Deputy Leader, Liberal Party of Canada 

- Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada

- Jan Pronk, former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Sudan

- Francis Deng, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide

- Juan Mendez, Former Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide

- Ben Kiernan, Professor of History and Director of the Cambodian Genocide Program, Yale University

- Hon. Gareth Evans, President of the International Crisis Group

- Brian Stewart, CBC Correspondent 

- Salih Mahmoud Osman, Sudanese Human Rights Lawyer and activist

- Martha L. Minow, Harvard Law School

- Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

- Special Opening Night Plenary: Speaking the Unspeakable: Listening to the Voices of Survivors

- Genocide in History: The Onward Progress of Civilization

- Facing History and Ourselves: Imagining a World Without Genocide. (This session is video-linked with the Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda) 

- Is Genocide Preventable?  The Foreseeability of Mass Violence

- Early Warning: Triggering the UN into Action

- Public Initiative: The Role of Civil Society

- Economics and Genocide: Reconciling Profit and Prevention

- Making Prevention Feasible: Overcoming the Fear of Quagmire

- Accountability for Genocide: Does Criminal Justice Prevent Future Atrocities?

- The Seeds of Genocide: Hate Propaganda and the Banalization of Evil

- Inducing the Will to Act: Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect

- Shaping Public Opinion: The Role of the Media

- Can the ICC help prevent atrocities in Darfur?  A conversation with the Chief Prosecutor

- The Challenge of Moral Leadership: Lessons from the Past, Visions for the Future. (Featuring the Young Leaders)

- Special Multimedia Exhibition: Imagining the Unthinkable

- First International Forum for Young Leaders

To register, view the complete program, or obtain further information about this event please visit: http://efchr.mcgill.ca/index.php or write to human.rights@mcgill.ca.

----

:Author:   Julie Caldwell
:Date:     Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:23:43 PDT

Hi Gabriel, Esther and all...  Thanks Mark.   

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:38:19 PDT

It occurred to me today that perhaps we missed our golden opportunity to promote Responsibility to Protect when we named the movement Save Darfur instead of Protect Darfur.

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:42:35 PDT

On October 1st the Save Darfur Coalition and the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition are holding a press conference to promote the divestment campaign targeted at Franklin Templeton.

It might make sense to have business leaders (Silicon Valley leaders) attend the conference.  If anyone can help us make these contacts...that would be great.

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:43:17 PDT

...although Save sounds a little more urgent than Protect.

----

:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:00:07 PDT

Esther - SAVE definitely has the urgency. A new tagline incorporating "responsibility to protect" might add some new juice...

----

:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:51:07 PDT
:Modified: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:52:23 PDT

Just got this email.  Let's do what we can to help Mark and Sam and the gang:

**LET'S HELP OUR FRIENDS AT GI.net!!!**
--------------------------------------

Dear Cynthia,

The Genocide Intervention Network is honored to have been chosen as a **finalist in the online Peace Primary competition**, held by the world-renowned Ploughshares Fund. GI-Net is one of twelve outstanding organizations selected by an expert panel chaired by actor Martin Sheen. It's up to you to decide which organization addresses issues most important for the 2008 presidential election. 

We need the anti-genocide movement to demonstrate that stopping genocide is a political priority! Every dollar you donate to GI-Net through the Peace Primary is one "vote." Please vote for the Genocide Intervention Network and **help us win $100,000** to directly stop violence against women and children in Darfur and make ending genocide a presidential priority in 2008!

**Vote today at www.PeacePrimary.org/organizations/GIN/**

The Peace Primary ends Oct. 31, 2007.

Are you as excited as we are about forcing the 2008 Presidential candidates to prioritize ending the Darfur genocide?

Here are **five easy ways you can help GI-Net win the Peace Primary:**

Vote for GI-Net by making a donation to us through the Peace Primary website. Remember, over half of your tax-deductible donation will go towards our unique on-the-ground civilian protection program to stop genocidal violence. The remainder will expand our advocacy work, and none of your donation will be spent on administrative costs. 
 

Display your vote for the Genocide Intervention Network in your personal and professional e-mail signatures and on your online profiles (MySpace, Facebook, etc). We've got your sample signatures and profile badges on our website! 
 

Tell your friends and family about why you support the Genocide Intervention Network in the Peace Primary. It's easy — use our sample e-mail! 
 

Blog about the Peace Primary and encourage votes to stop genocide in Darfur — on your own blog, MySpace, LiveJournal or a community blog. Use our badges and give your readers something to click on! 
 

Fundraise for the Peace Primary in your own community by hosting a Vote for Peace Party! Raising $620 will not only get us 620 votes closer to winning — more importantly, it will fund one African Union peacekeeping patrol allowing women to safely gather essential firewood outside of the refugee camps. At your event, be sure to have a computer with Internet access available, and have attendees donate at the Peace Primary website so your contribution will count as votes in the Peace Primary. See our website’s section on hosting events for more tips! 
 

Visit www.GenocideIntervention.net/PeacePrimary to use our ready-made signatures, badges, and emails for promoting GI-Net in the Peace Primary.

Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,

Mark Hanis

Executive Director 

 

Genocide Intervention Network

1333 H Street NW, 1st Floor

Washington, DC 20005

 

www.GenocideIntervention.net

 

 


----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 14 Sep 2007 07:16:14 PDT

Hollywood puts spotlight on Darfur in new documentary

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article23749

Quotes from article:

In "Darfur Now," US director Ted Braun chooses not to focus on the constant violence in western Sudan, but instead on the efforts of six people trying to find an end to the war that the United Nations says has killed 200,000 people and displaced two million.

---

A young Californian activist in the documentary, Adam Sterling [Sudan Divestment Taskforce], serves as a kind of model for civic action.

After meeting US senators, Sterling enlists the support of screen star and Darfur activist George Clooney, Cheadle and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for a law banning pension funds in the state from investing in companies with ties to Sudan.

---

The director, whose documentary’s narrative and visual effect seems above all aimed at striking an emotional chord with Americans, defended his relations with Sudanese authorities — who gave him permission to film.

"I think that demonizing that country, and demonizing the people that are out there is a terrible mistake," said Braun, who won approval from Khartoum to film in Darfur but had to work under some constraints.

As the film made its debut in Toronto, officials announced talks between the Sudanese government and rebel factions were set to resume, which Darfur activists like George Clooney greeted as a promising development.

"We’re in a position right now where we actually have for the first time a shot at a peace treaty, not only with the government of Khartoum, but with all the warring parties," said Clooney.







----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 14 Sep 2007 07:18:29 PDT

September 12, 2007 (KADOGULI, southern Kordofan) — Darfur longtime confined figure Suleiman Jamous will leave the UN hospital in southern Kordofan within 48 hours heading to Kenya for medical treatment.

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article23735

----

:Author:   Tim Nonn
:Date:     Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:02:01 PDT

The Tents of Hope website went live today at www.tentsofhope.org. 

And from the "You can't make this stuff up" department:


Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) today condemned Sudan's nomination of Ahmed Haroun, a suspected war criminal, to co-chair a national committee investigating human rights abuses in Sudan's Darfur region.  The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant this spring for the arrest of Haroun (now serving as Sudan's Humanitarian Affairs Minister) for recruiting, arming and conspiring with pro-government militia (the Janjaweed) to attack various towns and villages in Darfur. PHR called on Sudan to immediately withdraw his name from consideration for the committee and comply with the warrant for his arrest by the ICC. The United Nations Security Council and all signatories to the Rome Statute must also vigorously oppose this nomination and pressure Sudan to arrest Haroun and deliver him to The Hague for trial, the group said. 

"Haroun's nomination shows the Government of Sudan's utter contempt for the rule of law," said Frank Donaghue, CEO of Physicians for Human Rights.  "It is an outrage to appoint a principal architect of Darfur's horrors to probe the very abuses he is alleged to have orchestrated".  

Though human rights groups have been sharply critical of the government's hypocrisy, there has been little reaction to Haroun's nomination by the international community.  

"The silence of the international community has been deafening," said Donaghue.  "The US and all other members of the UN Security Council must ensure that Haroun is arrested and delivered to The Hague immediately."

As Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Haroun currently oversees the ongoing humanitarian effort on behalf of the Sudanese Government, including controlling the access of aid workers to the region and the flow of equipment and supplies to groups operating there.  The humanitarian operation in response to the Darfur conflict, which has flowed over the border into neighboring Chad, is currently the world's largest relief effort with 14,000 international aid workers on-the-ground supported by hundreds of millions of dollars in international funding.

For more on PHR's work in Darfur, visit physiciansforhumanrights.org/sudan



----

:Author:   ashis brahma
:Date:     Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:35:43 PDT

Tim 

It is better than Beckett, Pinter, Orwell, Ionescu or Kafka. And it is the real deal.

Real life is more incredible then any story..

Time to wake up some people.

----

:Author:   John Powers
:Date:     Fri, 14 Sep 2007 23:30:18 PDT

Tonight I was surfing around Razoo.  The Sept. 15th recruiting deadline for the chance for $10000 was bringing in a lot of new members.  It was like watching a stream of people go by and I imagined myself wanting to have fliers to hand out to all of them about all the great causes they could get involved in.

I started to send messages to some of the new comers, but my jaw dropped when I clicked send, returning me to the profile page, to realize I'd just sent a message to a 14-year old girl.  Nothing untoward about my message, of course. I had chosen her because I saw that she'd joined Invisible Children and must have surfed around Razoo because she also had joined The Blind Project and wanted to alert her to John Berger's work and group there.  

How to help new people to get caught in networks which interest them and which they can contribute to at Razoo is a bit of a project I've taken on.  I had sorted the activities about Sudan  because I know that's an issue many young people feel passionately about.

Finally, here's my point: crossing over lots of activity at Razoo it's always nice to see familiar Omidyar.net faces.  A young college freshman named Emma Vick is very active.  Her main issue is `NESI`_ (The New Sudanese Indigenous NGOs Network).  Yes, I know that NESI is primarily concerned with southern Sudan.  But Emma Vick is weaving through networks at Razoo and really using the platform.  I was delighted to see that so many of her friends are you, my friends.

I do understand that it's way too hard to be too involved in several sites.  Still, Razoo is catching eyeballs. Michele Lifshen Reing ports her blog into the Soapbox there.  That's a great thing to do because those posts will turn up in subject searches.

All of you are great networkers. I'm so pleased to see you reaching out in Razoo.  A big thumbs up for the effort you've put in.  If I can help in anyway about Razoo don't hesitate to tell me so.

.. _`NESI`: http://www.nesinetwork.org/

----

:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:10:01 PDT

John - thanks for the nod; I've got to get back to writing on my blog much more regularly. Especially with all the Razoo eyeballs ;-)

----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:05:36 PDT

Michele, my gut tells me you'll get *much* more interaction here.  At Razoo entire groups often go *days* without a single solitary post.  

John, you might want to consider inviting those that look like they really want to *collaborate* and *take action* on Razoo into this thread.  Keeping in mind the desire here for action, collaboration, and meaningful outcome.  If they are at Razoo just looking for a shot at 10K, then ned.com is not really the site for them.

Just a couple thoughts.

----

:Author:   Michele Lifshen Reing
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:16:51 PDT

Mark - absolutely. The juice is here.

----

:Author:   John Powers
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:27:24 PDT

I absolutely agree with Michele: "The juice is here."  Really the issue of Darfur hasn't set up much at Razoo at all.  I didn't mean to take things off track.  Just wanted to say that I've noticed people here at Ned exploring the network there and being effective in identifying and connecting with really committed people there.  

The Razoo group on Facebook has nearly 500 members, but there's little recent activity by most of them actually at Razoo.  The place lacked stickiness. I've noticed how early adopters used their blogs, but when nothing happened they lost interest.  Among the newer users I see some of them much more adept at using the platform.  And among them are young people.  I don't mean to sound patronizing but these young leaders deserve some support.  So I'm really pleased to see  people in this thread reaching out to them.

----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:11:37 PDT

Even *Save Darfur* cause in Facebook has almost 500,000 people...very few posts, and little to no real action at all.  

John, one thing I've invited (privately) a couple younger members from Facebook to consider is reaching out to Gabriel (here) and working to set up a local Camp Darfur in their school (or church).  I think it is a nice offer because Gabriel has the whole camp built in such a easy to do and effective way.

And I do agree, cross pollination with Razoo/WiserEarth/Facebook/AboutUs is great.  I just also storngly suspect the most active, action, making things happen, collaborative kinda efforts are going to be here.

----

:Author:   John Powers
:Date:     Sat, 15 Sep 2007 23:47:08 PDT

I'm so happy about reaching your reaching out to younger members at Facebook to set up Camp Darfur in their schools.  This is precisely the sort of action I think is terrific.  

One of the wonderful things about Peace Tiles is on their Web page, right on the front page, are curriculum materials to download. I know I'm getting far a field here, but  there are resources available now that boggle my mind when I think back to my student days cutting mimeograph stencils for all the activities we did. 

Invisible Children added about 200 members in the last few days. I've looked and some of them have figured out that there are other ways to be involved At Razoo and among their early discoveries is Gabriel's group. Okay, it's not many who go beyond joining Razoo and  Invisible Children then to something else.  

Linda in another thread talked about the Ambassadors at Razoo as being vultures. I'm afraid I might seem a bit of a vulture too, because when I notice someone joining and then picking new interests, especially tailored ones like for example those who go to Gabriel's group, I go over their profiles and generally send them a message.

I agree with Mark's suspicion that most of the action is going to happen here.

In the Ayittey thread here Linda Nowakowski was discussing resiliency.  It's a idea that comes up a lot.  John Hagel is a very thoughtful thinker about the subject. Here is a piece, `Gladwell's Cellular Church`_. It strikes me that Ned is very well suited to the cellular structure Hagel examines.

I feel badly about coming into this thread, and taking off on a tangent.  My reasoning was that much great action about Darfur has been student and youth based, so it's been an issue on my radar as I've tried to figure Razoo out.  

But in a more general way, while Razoo is attracting young people what it seems to lack is the way that Ned tends to form clusters of committed people, the kind of cellular structure Hagel talks about. Perhaps some saw the Website as Graphs `snapshot of Ned`_

The best thing for me to do is to reach out to Gabriel at Razoo about Razoo.  But I'm interjecting myself in this thread just to let you know that Darfur is important to me and I'm trying to invent ways of being useful in encouraging making good things happen.

.. _`Gladwell's Cellular Church`: http://edgeperspectives.typepad.com/edge_perspectives/2005/09/gladwells_cellu.html

.. _`snapshot of Ned`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/28/2/ 


----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Sun, 16 Sep 2007 09:15:23 PDT

John - I'm glad you are here!  We need people who care about Darfur everywhere.

Today is Global Day for Darfur http://www.globefordarfur.org

In San Francisco, we are showing Brian Steidle's film and then having an interfaith prayer service to pray that leaders in the UN have the will to actually do what is necessary to help bring peace to Darfur and to help people return home.

Oprah's At Home Magazine has a quote that says, "home is where you have all that you need."  As Westerners, that quote sounds great - it makes me feel good and I guess in an ideal world would be true and perhaps it is something we should strive for...but I worry that as we strive for it, we damage our planet and our striving doesn't make such a concept available to others on the planet who don't have access to the resources that we have.  

And then another part of my brain says, hold on - who's to say that stuff is what we need to make home...there are plenty of houses filled with stuff and no one is at home or feels at home...so I guess home can be anywhere and is dependent on the people you are with...but then I'm concerned we can get too comfortable with that concept and become comfortable ignoring the needs of people who don't have access to health care, clean water, basic safety, etc...because after all, they have very close family and community relationships (seems like you hear that all the time when people come back from visiting a 3rd world country.)  So I suppose there is a balance to strike that is good for individuals, families, communities and the planet.  

And for the people of Darfur, I will pray that they have "home" and whatever they need wherever they are...and even though that should be enough (for anyone of us), it's really not...the people of Darfur deserve the opportunity to go back home - back to Darfur.

----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:03:26 PDT

- Darfur's peacekeeper: Africa's toughest job?  
- By Orla Guerin 
- BBC News, Darfur 
- If General Martin Luther Agwai's name is not yet familiar, it will be soon. `more>>>`_

26,000 peace keeping troops.  Overall the article sure does not raise hopes too high.


.. _`more>>>` : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6998279.stm
 


----

:Author:   Mark Grimes
:Date:     Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:44:37 PDT

.. raw :: html

  <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BwrxPXvvaCs"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BwrxPXvvaCs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

Emergency in Darfur 46:50 (featured on the front of YouTube)

----

:Author:   Susan Sears
:Date:     Wed, 19 Sep 2007 08:18:53 PDT

Sorry I've been silent. Apologies if you've already this and/or it's  posted elsewhere. I was finishing up the papers late last night when I saw the short article though it was reported on BBC news earlier in day. 

Bleak Advice for U.N. Darfur Commander

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 17 -- Retired Canadian army Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire, a former U.N. commander whose warnings of Rwandan genocide in the early 1990s went unheeded by U.N. leaders, advised the newly appointed leader of U.N. forces in Darfur to expect little backing from his political masters as he struggles to halt mass violence.

rest of article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701803.html


FYI: Reminder that tomorrow (Thursday, 20 Sept.) is Int'l Day of Peace. In DC, there will be a program at Pangea Artisan Market and Cafe from 6:30-9:30pm. Darfur Diaries, etc. I have to cancel, so there's at least one space available. Send email to VFerragut@ifc.org if you want to attend.

Best to all, Susan





----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:32:28 PDT

Perhaps it would be a good idea for the Darfur groups to lend their support to this letter.

---------

September, 19, 2007,

Letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon

Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

I would like to take this opportunity to express the sincere appreciation and gratitude of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), to the United Nations and to you personally for the consistent support for ending the suffering of our people in Darfur and the Sudan alt large. Please accept Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.

Also I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the French Government and especially to the French Foreign Minster Mr. Bernard Kusher, and to all French people for their worm welcome, hospitality and their endless support for our just cause. Also, I would like to thank all liberal democratic states and societies including the United States, Britain, South Africa, European Union countries and all those who support our just cause during our difficult time.

Mr. Secretary-General,

It is necessary at this point to restate that my movement (SLM) continues to reiterate the commitment to N’Djamena cease-fire agreement in April 2004, and all UN Security Council resolutions on Darfur. Also we have confidence in your periodic assessment of the situation in Darfur and the country as a whole, as well as in your ability to provide the Security Council with realistic and implementable recommendations that promote the search for lasting peace and security to our people in Darfur and the Sudan at large.

Mr. Secretary-General,

I have the pleasure of informing you that the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) has taken a decisive step to reach into peaceful political settlement, consolidate achievement of the successful people’s movement that restored peace, secular democracy, human rights and make our people supreme and equal citizens once and for all. This has set in the motion of SLM’s determination and for real. Yet, in order to do so, we should start any political process with providing security of our people first.

Mr. Secretary-General,

There are severe human rights violations against our people in a daily bases by the Khartoum regime and its janjaweed militias. In your recent statement on the situation in Darfur, with special focus on latest developments, you yourself observed that we were now at a critical juncture. As you correctly described it, a new phase of the United Nations Forces operation in Darfur is about to begin, while at the same time, the escalating conflict in region is threatening to destabilize the entire area once again.

Mr. Secretary-General,

We agree with you. The National Congress Party (NCP) and its janjaweed militias are committing genocide, causing severe human rights violations against our people in Darfur and elsewhere in the country, resettling new people from outside the country in our people land (Hawkers). In this regard, we are not able to sit with those whom killing our people in one table before they stop their inhumane practices against our people. Therefore, we call upon you to reiterate that the Khartoum regime must fulfill its obligations to respect human rights and stop killing of our people, stop resettling people from foreign countries in our people land (Hawkers). Importantly, Khartoum regime must immediately desist from all policies and practices that violate international human rights and humanitarian law or that alter the physical character or demographic composition of the Darfurian people and then we can start any political negotiations.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Darfur crisis is complex, it embedded in deep rooted causes and larger issues, perhaps, require a profound level of attention before scuttling toward any political negotiations. To make it simple, the crux of the Darfur catastrophe divided into two interconnected and overlapping parts. First and the most alarming one is the current human security. There are an immense human destruction such as murder, rape, torture and massive displacement. **Second, the problem of citizenship rights, which in principle, is the core source of the human turmoil in Darfur and elsewhere in the Sudan. In respect, there are few political elites holding an obnoxious racial and religious ethos against the majority of citizens.** To solve such difficult dilemma, we should deal with the two parts of this disaster respectfully. Therefore, I would like to share with you my thinking on the manner of accomplishing our common objectives on the peaceful political resolution for Darfur conflict and in the Sudan at large. In my view, any peaceful political process should start with the following:

1. Conflict Suspension, which is to stop the ongoing killing of our people and protect them form the Khartoum genociders, disarmament of the janjaweed and other government militias, remove the new settlers form our people land (Hawkers). In our view, these will create a conducive environment for peaceful political settlement and that will started with:

2. Conflict Resolution (negotiations) with the hope to discus the root causes of the problem and obtain a total settlement, and from there we move into the third step which is.

3. Conflict Transformation to build positive relations among our people in Drafur and elsewhere in the Sudan as well as to build durable projects for sustainable development including the extension of public services to make real the restoration of government authority throughout the country, the further enhancement of the operational effectiveness of the security sector, and the effective reintegration of all ex-combatants and over all socio-economic development.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Peace will occur precisely with the immense attentions to security of the people and the resolution of the root causes of the current genocide, punishment of the perpetrators, readdress the injustice of the past, reconstruct positive relations among the people, and create new political order that admire the attraction of our differences, respect human dignity as equal citizens. To that end, without genuine commitment to the security of our people, no conclusion of any peace settlement with the Khartoum regime will consider valid, but it will reserve the material for future conflict and human distraction; and I have no doubt whatsoever that your plan for the peaceful political settlement in Darfur functions will be designed and implemented with the same objective.

(Signed) Abdul Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Alnour, Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)



----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:34:06 PDT

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article23861

The link for the letter from Abdul Wahid Mohamed Alnour.

----

:Author:   Susan Sears
:Date:     Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:42:46 PDT

Well, while people are thinking on the above...a reiteration of absurd situation re: Haroun.

World Briefing | United Nations
Solution in Darfur Linked to Minister’s Arrest 

By WARREN HOGE
Published: September 21, 2007

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said there could be no solution to the crisis in Darfur as long as Sudan continued to refuse to arrest Ahmad Haroun, a minister indicted on war crimes charges in May. Mr. Haroun, Sudan’s humanitarian affairs minister, is accused of recruiting and arming janjaweed militia fighters held responsible for raping and killing civilians in Darfur in 2003 and 2004. The government this month placed him in charge of hearing human rights complaints from Darfur victims.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/world/africa/21briefing-Sudan.html?ex=1191038400&en=dd032a6a9916c0f0&ei=5070

Susan

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:22:19 PDT

More info on Haroun...from http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article23866

--------

But one item not on the [UN Meeting] agenda is how to get Sudan to turn over two men charged by the International Court with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Khartoum has refused to do so.

"I am concerned that the silence by most states and international organizations on the subject of the arrest warrants has been understood in Khartoum as a weakening of international resolve," Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the court’s prosecutor told a news conference on Thursday.

"Justice in Darfur must be on the agenda, at the top of the agenda," he said, adding that one of those charged, Ahmad Harun, was now senior official for humanitarian affairs.

"As peace talks and negotiations for the deployment of the hybrid force advance, there is a resurgence of violence around the camp," Moreno-Ocampo said. "I have reasons to believe that it is an operation in which Ahmad Harun plays a key role."



----

:Author:   Susan Megy
:Date:     Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:51:33 PDT

Thanks for passing along Cynthia. For some reason, I've stopped receiving GI-Net emails. Weird. 


Cynthia Gentry said:

    Just got this email.  Let's do what we can to help Mark and Sam and the gang:
    
    **LET'S HELP OUR FRIENDS AT GI.net!!!**
    --------------------------------------
    
    Dear Cynthia,
    
    The Genocide Intervention Network is honored to have been chosen as a **finalist in the online Peace Primary competition**, held by the world-renowned Ploughshares Fund. GI-Net is one of twelve outstanding organizations selected by an expert panel chaired by actor Martin Sheen. It's up to you to decide which organization addresses issues most important for the 2008 presidential election. 
    
    We need the anti-genocide movement to demonstrate that stopping genocide is a political priority! Every dollar you donate to GI-Net through the Peace Primary is one "vote." Please vote for the Genocide Intervention Network and **help us win $100,000** to directly stop violence against women and children in Darfur and make ending genocide a presidential priority in 2008!
    
    **Vote today at www.PeacePrimary.org/organizations/GIN/**
    
    The Peace Primary ends Oct. 31, 2007.
    
    Are you as excited as we are about forcing the 2008 Presidential candidates to prioritize ending the Darfur genocide?
    
    Here are **five easy ways you can help GI-Net win the Peace Primary:**
    
    Vote for GI-Net by making a donation to us through the Peace Primary website. Remember, over half of your tax-deductible donation will go towards our unique on-the-ground civilian protection program to stop genocidal violence. The remainder will expand our advocacy work, and none of your donation will be spent on administrative costs. 
     
    
    Display your vote for the Genocide Intervention Network in your personal and professional e-mail signatures and on your online profiles (MySpace, Facebook, etc). We've got your sample signatures and profile badges on our website! 
     
    
    Tell your friends and family about why you support the Genocide Intervention Network in the Peace Primary. It's easy — use our sample e-mail! 
     
    
    Blog about the Peace Primary and encourage votes to stop genocide in Darfur — on your own blog, MySpace, LiveJournal or a community blog. Use our badges and give your readers something to click on! 
     
    
    Fundraise for the Peace Primary in your own community by hosting a Vote for Peace Party! Raising $620 will not only get us 620 votes closer to winning — more importantly, it will fund one African Union peacekeeping patrol allowing women to safely gather essential firewood outside of the refugee camps. At your event, be sure to have a computer with Internet access available, and have attendees donate at the Peace Primary website so your contribution will count as votes in the Peace Primary. See our website’s section on hosting events for more tips! 
     
    
    Visit www.GenocideIntervention.net/PeacePrimary to use our ready-made signatures, badges, and emails for promoting GI-Net in the Peace Primary.
    
    Thank you for joining us!
    
    Sincerely,
    
    Mark Hanis
    
    Executive Director 
    
     
    
    Genocide Intervention Network
    
    1333 H Street NW, 1st Floor
    
    Washington, DC 20005
    
     
    
    www.GenocideIntervention.net



----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:17:55 PDT

Has anyone heard of this organization?

http://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/about.asp



----

:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:36:30 PDT

Have not heard of them (Kids for Kids).  Sounds like a blend of a pinpointed Heifer Int'l and others.  I love the trees they are planting in the refugee camps.  

----

:Author:   Mark Hanis (GI-Net)
:Date:     Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:43:11 PDT
:Modified: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:43:41 PDT

Hey, hey, amigos

Sorry for taking a while to get onto ned.  

Things are moving on the GI-Net front:

* **STAND conference** this weekend: http://www.standnow.org/conference . We're expecting 400 high school and college students and have already had more than that register.  Panles will go beyond Darfur and include R2P, Congo, Uganda, and....Burma!

* **Big rally in South Carolina on 10/6**: http://dagsc.org/darfur?page=rally&side=rally . Lots of people and in a primary state!

* **Ask The Candidates**: Enough! has joined us and we both did one training in Iowa and might do one in South Carolina.  We've gotta get the candidates to do more on Darfur.  With all the media they get, they help set the tone for this and the next administration. http://www.AskTheCandidates.org

* **Peace Primary**: Help GI-Net get $100k for the Ask The Candidates campaign.  We need all the help we can get!
http://peaceprimary.org/organizations/gin/



----

:Author:   Gabriel Stauring
:Date:     Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:27:37 PDT

Hermano Mark!  Nice to see you here.  You do have a lot going on.  Good luck with the conference.  We were just at the University of Idaho with Camp Darfur.  A brand new STAND is up and running there, and you'll have Travis, the founder and leader there, at your conference.  He's a great guy with so much energy and is going to be an amazing activist for the anti-genocide movement.  

----

:Author:   Jim Fussell
:Date:     Thu, 27 Sep 2007 04:00:36 PDT

Welcome Mark!  The South Carolina Rally looks great!  

Gabriel thank you for sharing about Travis in Idaho. 

----

:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Thu, 27 Sep 2007 18:45:36 PDT

Attacks on aid groups rising in Darfur

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_re_af/darfur_threatened_aid

"But if you want to leave, take us on the planes with you," said Moussa, the malaria patient. "We'll go anywhere away from this hell."


----

:Author:   Susan Megy
:Date:     Sat, 29 Sep 2007 08:42:05 PDT

Esther, Jim, Mark, Gabriel, Cynthia et al....

hello dear friends & fellow movers & shakers. Glad to hear all is well with GI-Net, STAND and Camp Darfur. Activism on Darfur is a bit more slow moving on my end of the pond, but we're working on it. I'm doing a ton of work around protection of civilians and peacekeeping -- really interesting research. 

Mark, i tried to donate on peaceprimary site, but it's not taking my card details -- not accepting my Ireland address. will try again.

at any rate, hope y'all are well...

----

:Author:   Mark Hanis (GI-Net)
:Date:     Sat, 29 Sep 2007 08:51:15 PDT

Check out what the candidates are saying on Darfur

*A UNH student identified herself as a member of STAND and asks about Darfur to Edwards.  He talks about how he's divested! http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1570672&vid=178271

*Click on the link below and fast forward to 8:28.  
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/video/rch10.html
 
Senator Brownback's answer was awesome but Alan Keyes actually, in my opinion, had the best answer -
 
"I have to say I'm appalled by the suggestion that we retreat into some kind of fortress America and forget who we are. We are a nation of nations, a people of many peoples. We are in touch with every people on the face of the Earth. If somebody is being hurt somewhere in the world, somebody in America grieves for them. 
And I don't believe we can turn our backs on that universal significance, that universal mission."


----

:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Sun, 30 Sep 2007 08:47:02 PDT

Je suis en Paris et cette email arrive.  Susan, venez pour le dîner!  :-) 

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - MEDIA RELEASE

Crisis Group and the ENOUGH Project 

Brussels/Washington DC, 30 September 2007: Since it was launched in March 2007, ENOUGH – 'the project to end genocide and crimes against humanity' – has helped focus the attention of policymakers on what is needed to halt atrocities in Darfur, northern Uganda, and eastern Congo.

The rapid growth of the ENOUGH Project is a welcome development to those of us who support mass action whenever and wherever it is necessary to mobilise an effective international response to atrocity crimes. The partnerships that ENOUGH is forging with a broad array of organisations – such as the Save Darfur Coalition, the Genocide Intervention Network, Invisible Children, and a number of faith-based groups – augur well for a more coordinated and better informed grassroots movement to end these scourges wherever they occur.

To enable this project to most effectively pursue its unique objectives, the co-founders of ENOUGH – the International Crisis Group and Center for American Progress (CAP) – have agreed that after today, 30 September, the three Crisis Group employees most involved in getting ENOUGH off the ground – John Prendergast, Colin Thomas-Jensen and Julia Spiegel – will work full-time for ENOUGH, and that ENOUGH itself will operate wholly in association with CAP. 

We at Crisis Group remain grateful for the outstanding contribution that John Prendergast and his colleagues have made working for us on conflict prevention and resolution in Africa, and wish them and ENOUGH every success in pursuing their mission, which remains closely complementary to our own. 

To receive information and materials from ENOUGH in the future, please visit – if you have not already – www.enoughproject.org.

Gareth Evans
President and CEO
International Crisis Group
Brussels 



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:Author:   Moses Kariuki
:Date:     Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:12:32 PDT

I have just heard that 12 AU peacekeepers have been killed in Darfur and some of them are missing.

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:Author:   Moses Kariuki
:Date:     Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:34:00 PDT

www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008678806

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:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:05:24 PDT

Yes, Moses.  The latest we heard here is that it was the rebels who did the killing, but they are saying it is the GOS.  

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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:28:45 PDT

**Combating Genocide in Darfur**

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee

Full Committee Hearing

Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee (Chairman Dodd, D-Conn.) will hold a hearing on efforts to combat genocide in Darfur, focusing on the role of divestment and other policy tools.

Contact: 202-224-7391

Note Updated Time/Location

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 3, 9:30 a.m. Time changed to 9:30 a.m. from 10 a.m.

Place: 538 Dirksen Bldg.

Note Witnesses added. 

**Panel**

Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill. 

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.

**Panel**

Jendayi E. Frazer - assistant secretary of State for African affairs 

Elizabeth L. Dibble - principal deputy assistant secretary of State for international finance and development 

Adam Szubin - director, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury

**Panel**

Frank Caprio - general treasurer, State of Rhode Island 

Bennett Freeman - senior vice president for social research and policy, Calvert Investment 

John Pendergast - co-chairman, ENOUGH Project 

William Reinsch - president, National Foreign Trade Council 

Adam Sterling - director, Sudan Divestment Task Force


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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:57:58 PDT

Rescue Nubia

Please consider signing appeal.

http://www.rescuenubia.org/index.html

"The pro Arabs and Muslim Fundamentalist Government of Sudan conspires with Egypt to eradicate the Nubian Heritage, obliterate the Nubian Culture, and exterminate the Nubian Language. On Tuesday, June 15, 2004 the Sudanese National Assembly approved the four freedoms agreement with Egypt (freedom to move, reside, work, and own). This agreement targets the Nubian area, where dams are proposed to act as filters to the high dam that suffers from siltation and to submerge Nubian villages/towns, inundate the most rich archeological sites in the world and force the Nubians out of their land."

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:Author:   Cynthia Gentry
:Date:     Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:10:09 PDT

October discussion?

Comments on Jimmy Carter in Darfur?  All I'm getting where I am is lousy CNN coverage.  Back home tomorrow night to get caught up.

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:Author:   Susan Megy
:Date:     Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:22:03 PDT

Cynthia Gentry said:

   
    INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP - MEDIA RELEASE    
    Crisis Group and the ENOUGH Project 
    
    Brussels/Washington DC, 30 September 2007: Since it was launched in March 2007, ENOUGH – 'the project to end genocide and crimes against humanity' – has helped focus the attention of policymakers on what is needed to halt atrocities in Darfur, northern Uganda, and eastern Congo.
    
    The rapid growth of the ENOUGH Project is a welcome development to those of us who support mass action whenever and wherever it is necessary to mobilise an effective international response to atrocity crimes. The partnerships that ENOUGH is forging with a broad array of organisations – such as the Save Darfur Coalition, the Genocide Intervention Network, Invisible Children, and a number of faith-based groups – augur well for a more coordinated and better informed grassroots movement to end these scourges wherever they occur.
    
    To enable this project to most effectively pursue its unique objectives, the co-founders of ENOUGH – the International Crisis Group and Center for American Progress (CAP) – have agreed that after today, 30 September, the three Crisis Group employees most involved in getting ENOUGH off the ground – John Prendergast, Colin Thomas-Jensen and Julia Spiegel – will work full-time for ENOUGH, and that ENOUGH itself will operate wholly in association with CAP. 
    
    We at Crisis Group remain grateful for the outstanding contribution that John Prendergast and his colleagues have made working for us on conflict prevention and resolution in Africa, and wish them and ENOUGH every success in pursuing their mission, which remains closely complementary to our own. 
    
    To receive information and materials from ENOUGH in the future, please visit – if you have not already – www.enoughproject.org.
    
    Gareth Evans
    President and CEO
    International Crisis Group
    Brussels

Hmmm...personality differences? Wots the inside scoop as to why ICG is no longer associated with Enough? 

Since leaving ON/HU, I'm a bit outta the loop. 
:^)


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:Author:   Esther Sprague
:Date:     Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:19:47 PDT

Darfur humanitarian to speak in Caldwell, Boise

Doctor wants to spread the word about the crisis there and how you can help.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/180977.html


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:Author:   Tim Nonn
:Date:     Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:52:51 PDT

In Petaluma, CA, 600 elementary school students are making a tent for the Tents of Hope project. In Denver, middle school students are making a tent. In Milwaukee, Marquette University students are making a tent. In San Anselmo, CA, high school students are making a tent. Not to be undone by young people, a group of former clergy at a retirement home in Pasadena are making a tent. We're hoping for 500 tents on the National Mall in Washington DC in October 2008. It will be a refugee camp in the nation's capital. You can see the new video at www.tentsofhope.org.     

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:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:42:40 PDT
:Modified: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:45:16 PDT

**September moves to October and beyond here:**
________________________________________

* `Crisis in Sudan - OCTOBER 2007`_


.. _`Crisis in Sudan - OCTOBER 2007`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/65/









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:Author:   Jayne Cravens
:Date:     Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:36:14 PDT

For those of you who have written your Senators and Congresspeople about this issue, what kind of response have you gotten, if any?

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:Author:   Gayle Rogers
:Date:     Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:45:07 PST

**THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED - please go to "Crisis in Sudan - 2008"   - Thanks!**
_______________________________


* `Crisis in Sudan - 2008`_

.. _`Crisis in Sudan - 2008`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/114/


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